Question Number: 35592

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 6/22/2024

RE: Under 14

S G of Craigieburn , victoria Australia asks...

If the goalie catches the ball at they then mean to drop the ball and kick or must they roll the ball and kick?

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Sg,
once a keeper catches the ball using the hands inside their PA they have 6 seconds to release it FROM the hands. They can throw it, they can PUNT it before or after the ball touches the ground, they can let the ball hit & roll on the ground and then dribble it or kick it . What they can not do is pick the ball up again with the hands unless another player else makes contact with the ball first.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi SG,
Unless there's some kind of local, competition-specific rule in place, once the goalie catches the ball, they have the choice of how they want to release it into play. As my colleague ref Dawson says they can throw it, punt it, place on the ground and kick it or even place it on the ground and dribble up the field with it if they want.

There are the restrictions that he mentions, which are that the goalkeeper cannot hold the ball in the hands for more than six seconds without releasing it (although you'd have to say that is a law "more honor'd in the breach than in the observance" these days) and once they have released it from their hands they cannot touch it again with their hands until another player has touched the ball.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi SG
The laws of the game has NO restrictions on how a goalkeeper kicks, throws the ball after a catch.

Now I have officiated small sided games where there was a competition rules to prevent the ball being punted or thrown a long distance.
Some games have a so called play out rule where teams are encouraged to play the ball out from the back starting with a short pass or throw by the goalkeeper. The attacking team has to retreat to a breakout line to facilitate that.